Christmas lights, and a little tiny rant...

Monday, December 14, 2009

Our Christmas Tree star broke this year... Plugged it in and it didn't light up. Took it apart, and it just won't be fixed. So it is dead... along with all but ONE light strand of Christmas lights in our house. I am guessing it was the two moves in 6 months that did them in. I was bummed though. The lights were so old that you can't get replacement bulbs for them anymore.

I personally believe there are some things that manufactures should have to make forever; Women's jeans, babies binkies, make up colors (esp the refills), and replacement Christmas lights. They should have a clause that says they need to produce varieties of these things for at least 30 years. Mainly so the people who bought and love them can find them again for most of their lives... or at least until the child goes to Kindergarten!! (Really, the binky thing is a whole other story... what we were talking about? Oh yes... Christmas lights.) Mostly I am joking. New production of anything makes me twitch in this over abundant society. But it was really annoying to have ALL of my light stands dead but ONE and not be able to fix them! It made my thrifty heart ache, but we are slowly replacing them. The tree got pretty little bulb LED lights this year. And because I am just that tight fisted, the new tree topper was replaced with a paper star the kids and I put together.

I think it actually looks rather nice.

It actually matches our tree better than any other that I have seen. Afterall, the entire tree is decorated with recycled paper ornaments... Why should the topper be anything else?

6 comments

Love the Star! Our lighted star died this year as well and the boys and I were in Walmart to replace it and for a similar star they wanted $12.99. It was not even that great of a star! I refused to pay that much and we are going to make our own as well!

TRULY what a beautiful , beautiful star !!!! Made me smile , thinking of my childhood , everyyear I made a star for our tree ( Iwas the youngest) and oh my , there was paper and glitter everywhere :0) Thanks for the smile !

I loved those stars and had planned to make one with my kids (mostly myself, you know how that goes) for our tree topper.

Interestingly, I have had the same and similar experiences with our Christmas stuff over the years (and moves) I get annoyed that I kept things in a box that were broken(?!) and had no idea I was going to end up scrambling for something that I thought I had taken care of.

Michele, please post me a link to a picture of your star. I would love to see it. :)

Tia, What a wonderful memory! That is one tradition that could be rekindled and loved anywhere.

M/TA, GREAT IDEA! Thanks.

CR, It has gotten way easier for me to see the potential in broken stuff over these last few frugal years. I have to be very aware of the clutter though. Cuz gosh... I could hold on to every single tiny scrap and make SOMETHING. (As I am sure you could too.)

Val, I went through my Christmas Boxes and found some paperboard shirt boxes (last year's gift boxes) that yelled "I am a star!" to me. Yes, I agreed, you are a star disguised as something my husband will make me throw out when he sees I didn't use you this year. And so, once my former shirt boxes/new stars to set I can spray paint them with the half empty cans accumulated in our laundry room (which would go to the curb when we move, as they cannot be packed for an overseas move).Yay!